10,000 expected for Obama rally Saturday

The presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said thousands of people already have RSVP’d through the campaign’s Web site for the candidate’s rally at 3 p.m. this Saturday, March 17 in Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza, outside City Hall at Broadway and 14th Street.

They estimate as many as 10,000 may attend; volunteers hit the streets today and will be out again tomorrow and Friday handing out tickets, putting up posters and generally spreading the word.

Among those reportedly scheduled to share Obama’s stage Saturday are Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums; U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland; and San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris.

Obama spoke at an International Association of Fire Fighters presidential forum today in Washington, D.C.; he’ll be in session with the Senate tomorrow; and he has a rally scheduled for Friday night in Keene, N.H., before he makes his way here.

Josh Richman

Josh Richman covers state and national politics for the Bay Area News Group.
A New York City native, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and reported for the Express-Times of Easton, Pa. for five years before coming to the Oakland Tribune and ANG Newspapers in 1997.
He is a frequent guest on KQED Channel 9’s “This Week in Northern California;” a proud father; an Eagle Scout; a somewhat skilled player of low-stakes poker; a rather good cook; a firm believer in the use of semicolons; and an unabashed political junkie who will never, EVER seek elected office.

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I have watched the news through out the week and this is the first time I heard of Obama coming to the Bay Area. I really disappointed in how his attendance in Oakland is being covered. I would like tickets?

Make that 10,002. I’m a professional political hack, and my wife and I have decided to go down to Oaktown and join the crowd. The older I get the less cynical I get, and I’ve worked a lot of campaigns, big and small, with the hope that sometime in my life I’d see someone special get to the top, maybe even help them. Maybe this is the guy, maybe not. But if feels pretty magical to me….and I’m game for the real deal.

OBAMA IS A GOOD SPEAKER, VERY CLEVER – BUT KNOWS HOW TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR HIM. THE PROBLEM IS THIS; ONLY TWO YEARS IN THE SENATE AND NO EXPERIENCE. AS DONALD TRUMP SAID, WAS INTERVIEWED BY WOLF BLITZER, THAT OBAMA IS A STAR BUT HILLARY IS WELL EXPERIENCED AND SMART AND TALENTED. PLUS THE CLINTONS KNOW HOW TO RUN THIS COUNTRY LIKE BEFORE. IF OBAMA IS WIND UP THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, THE REPUBLICANS WIND UP LIKE PICKING THEIR CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, NO CHOICE, THEY DON’T WANT A BLACK GUY TO BE A PRESIDENT IN THIS COUNTRY. AS AL SHARPTON SAID IN NEW YORK, THAT OBAMA DIDN’T DO ANYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTRY PLUS TOO SOON AND TOO YOUNG AND NO EXPERIENCE PLUS ONLY TWO YEARS IN THE SENATE.

HE SAID THAT THE WHITE PEOLE PUT HIM AT THE TOP. WOMEN SHOULD RALLY AROUND HER,
HILLARY SHE’S THE BEST ONE SO FAR. SHES SMART AND TALENTED AND CARING LIKE HER HUSBAND BILL. WE THINK THIS BEFORE WE REGRET AND TOO LATE.